In Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, cow vigilantes thrashed a van driver mercilesssly on suspicion of ferrying beef, seen begging them to stop.
The 35-year-old driver of a pick-up van was mercilessly beaten up by cow vigilantes in Raal Village when they presumed he was ‘ferrying beef and smuggling cattle’ in his van. There were many videos of the driver circulating around, identified as Mohammad Aamir. He was thrashed by 2-3 men with belts while his shirt had been ripped off, surfaced on social media on Monday night.
Ashok Swain writes, “In India, as I have been saying, a cow’s life is more important than a Muslim’s life! In UP, a Muslim driver is brutally being beaten by Hindu right-wing mob over accusations of carrying beef in his vehicle!”
In India, as I have been saying, a cow’s life is more important than a Muslim’s life! In UP, a Muslim driver is brutally being beaten by Hindu right-wing mob over accusations of carrying beef in his vehicle! pic.twitter.com/X4ZM9w0CNJ
— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) March 21, 2022
SP (City) M.P. Singh said that the van, which was heading to Sikandrarao in Hathras from Mathura’s Govardhan, was intercepted by local residents and cow vigilantes from a right-wing outfit in Raal Village.
However, during the preliminary investigation, nothing, except some animal carcasses for which Aamir had a license, was found in the van, Singh said. The suspects allegedly held the driver hostage and beat him up brutally, he added.
Two other men were also beaten up by the public over suspicion of their links with the van driver, said the SP, adding that they rescued all the three men from the mob and sent them for medical treatment.
According to doctors, Aamir had received bruises on his face and shoulder. “He did not suffer any major injuries,” doctors said.
The SP (City) further said that two FIRs have been registered in the matter at Jait police station. One was lodged on a complaint filed by Aamir while the other was given by Vikas Sharma, convenor of Gau Raksha Vibhag of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Police said that 16 identified people, including Vikash Sharma and Balram Thakur from VHP, and some unidentified persons have been booked under relevant IPC sections, including 307 (attempt to murder), on a complaint filed by Aamir.
In the FIR, Aamir stated that “Sharma and Thakur intercepted his vehicle in Raal Village and after knowing that animal carcasses were being taken to Hathras, they began thrashing him badly.”
Meanwhile, Sharma, in his complaint, accused local residents of Raal Village of beating him up along with his associate Balram Thakur, who is secretary of the committee, over suspicion of their involvement with Aamir.
Fourteen identified and 150 unidentified people were booked under relevant IPC sections on Sharma’s complaint.
Several attempts to contact Aamir’s family members proved futile as their numbers were switched off.
Ashok Swain, Professor in Sweden said, “This is what I had told a Swedish newspaper 5 years ago – “In today’s India, it is easier to kill a Muslim than a cow.” The situation has become much worse.”
According to a report from Reuters, a total of 63 cow vigilante attacks had occurred in India between 2010 and mid 2017, most after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. In these attacks between 2010 and June 2017, “28 Indians – 24 of them Muslims – were killed and 124 injured”, states the Reuter’s report. The number has been steadily rising over the years.
It is recorded that cow vigilantes killed at least 44 people in three years. Nearly 300 people have been injured in more than 100 attacks by cow vigilantes between May 2015 and December 2018. Empowered by the BJP party, cow vigilantes feel protected when they kill for cow.
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